My Nana was a most extraordinary lady. Tomorrow, it will be two weeks since we lost her. As this is Holy Week there are surely parallels to be made about resurrection and new life. But frankly, they do not bring me comfort because they do not bring back her smile or her dancing or her enthusiasm for life which was contagious to those around her. I feel like I should do more here in tribute to her; I want to do more here in tribute to her, given the profound impact she has had on my life. At her memorial service I talked about how I believed that Nana’s legacy was that she taught us the language of food. She showed us how we can channel our feelings of grief, joy, and frustration into the preparation of food and use it to show other people that we care about them. It would seem fitting then, that tomorrow we plan a huge dinner in honor and remembrance of her. But the idea of doing so seems like an overwhelming task because there is simply so much to say, both with words and with food. Where do you even begin?

How adorable are these little tarts – tree-shaped puff pastry topped with pears, goat cheese, Salty Sweet Pecans, and drizzled with a balsamic reduction? How is that not good? Pears, goat cheese, & pecans are one of those flavor combinations that just go together. You can put them in and on anything – a salad, crostini, in a panini, and because the flavors just work, it’s practically guaranteed to be a success. Give these tarts a try, they would be a welcome addition at your New Year’s Eve party!